Know Dementia® Podcast

Hiring paid help for a loved one with Dementia can be essential as care needs increase. This guide explains when to seek assistance, types of caregivers—companions, home health aides, and nurses—and the hiring process. Key steps include assessing care needs, setting a budget, creating a job description, and choosing between agency or private hire. Interviews should evaluate experience, personality...

Ensuring hygiene for individuals with Dementia can be challenging, especially when resistance arises from fear, confusion, or discomfort. A compassionate, person-centered approach—focused on preparation, safety, and dignity—can ease the process. Strategies include maintaining a warm, calm environment, using soft music, engaging the person in conversation, and encouraging participation in bathing....

Driving represents freedom and independence, making it difficult for those with early Dementia or minor cognitive impairment to give it up. However, Dementia affects decision-making, perception, reflexes, and memory—making driving unsafe. Loved ones should monitor for warning signs like getting lost, erratic driving, or confusion with directions. When safety is at risk, caregivers must intervene,...

Michael, a lively British-American, shares his personal journey with Dementia, from subtle signs, to diagnosis and lifestyle changes. With humor and honesty, he recounts struggles, like memory lapses and a near car accident, that led to him seeking medical help. Emphasizing dignity, he values tools like ID bands and the Aware and Share card from the Dementia Society. Michael urges empathy, patienc...

Adapting a home for someone living with Dementia is important for enhancing safety, comfort, and independence. Cognitive decline can affect vision, hearing, balance, and perception, increasing risks of falls, confusion, and injury. Simple changes—like decluttering, labeling items, removing hazards, securing medications, and improving lighting—can reduce dangers and support daily living. Each room,...

As we age, cognitive changes are normal, but more severe symptoms may indicate Dementia, a syndrome caused by underlying brain disorders. Dementia affects memory, behavior, language, and emotional responses, often creating confusion and unpredictability. Those living with Dementia may lack awareness of their condition, leading to misunderstandings. Caregivers are encouraged to show empathy, patien...

This episode highlights the brain's lifelong capacity for growth through cognitive reserve and neuroplasticity—building new neural connections and learning through novel experiences. Maintaining brain health involves regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, hydration, mental stimulation, quality sleep, stress management, and social engagement. Additional tips include protecting your hea...

Today's podcast highlights the vital role of music and arts in Dementia care, emphasizing their therapeutic benefits across various stages. Music stimulates brain areas linked to emotion and memory, aiding neural connectivity and reducing stress. Artistic activities like painting engage the senses and facilitate emotional expression. We offer practical strategies for caregivers to integrate m...

Caregiving, especially for someone with Dementia, is a demanding journey marked by profound dedication and emotional challenges. As Dementia progresses, caregivers may not feel appreciated due to the loved one's impaired empathy. Self-care is essential—not selfish—as it preserves emotional and physical well-being. Caregivers are encouraged to list joyful activities, schedule daily "me ti...

Caring for someone with Dementia involves navigating ambiguous loss—the emotional pain of losing a loved one psychologically while they remain physically present. Coined by Pauline Boss, this concept highlights the grief and confusion caregivers feel as cognitive decline affects recognition and communication. Strategies to cope include acknowledging one's emotions, focusing on the present, ed...

Our brain controls movement, behavior, and decision-making through areas like the frontal lobes and prefrontal cortex. In Dementia, these functions decline, making medical help difficult to accept. Resistance may arise from unawareness of impairment. Caregivers should use strategic, compassionate communication, avoid early confrontation, and schedule medical appointments thoughtfully. Preparing fo...

Distress in people with Dementia may appear as anger, agitation, or aggression, often reflecting unmet needs. Such behaviors are not deliberate but stem from difficulties in communication and cognitive decline. Triggers include caregiver approach, physical or emotional discomfort, environmental factors, and underlying mental illness. Understanding these triggers and responding with empathy, calmne...

Planning ahead for medical, legal, and financial matters is essential, especially when facing potential cognitive impairments like Dementia. Early preparation ensures that personal wishes are honored and that decision-making authority is clearly delegated through tools such as advanced directives, powers of attorney, living wills, and estate planning. Understanding the difference between normal ag...

Dementia Horizons: Understanding Dementia This episode defines Dementia as not a disease but an umbrella term for a set of symptoms caused by various brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia, and mixed Dementia. These conditions lead to cognitive decline affecting memory, language, behavior, and daily functioning. Symptoms vary by type...

Effective communication with people living with Dementia requires empathy, patience, and awareness. The amygdala, a structure in the brain, influences first impressions, making tone of voice and body language crucial. Since Dementia affects various brain areas over time, individuals may struggle with speech, comprehension, and social interaction. Strategies for effective communication include spea...

Join Kevin Jameson in this fascinating exploration and discussion surrounding genetic testing for the various diseases/disorders that may cause Dementia. You'll hear from Laynie Dratch, ScM, CGC, Licensed, Certified Genetic Counselor, at the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Department of Neurology, in Philadelphia. This podcast is supported by DSA sponsor:...

Dementia Unplugged: Care Conversations between Dr. Natali Edmonds, Board certified geropsychologist and founder of Dementia Careblazers, and Joseph Tumolo, Advisory Council, Dementia Society of America - Uploaded February 2024. This podcast is supported by DSA sponsor: Passage Bio .

Dementia Unplugged: Care Conversations between Don Kent, former Attorney now living with Dementia, and Joseph Tumolo, Advisory Council, Dementia Society of America - UploadedDecember 2023. This podcast is supported by DSA sponsor: Passage Bio .

Dementia Unplugged: Care Conversations between Dr. William Chou, CEO of Passage Bio, and Joseph Tumolo, Advisory Council, Dementia Society of America - Uploaded November 2023. This podcast is supported by DSA sponsor: Passage Bio .

 Dementia Unplugged: Care Conversations between Rev. Judith Watt, Spiritual Leader,  and Dr. Jeannine Forrest, Advisory Council, Dementia Society of America - she is a leading expert in the field of Dementia care. Recorded March MMXXI. This podcast is supported by DSA sponsor: Passage Bio .

How to Respond to Hurtful Remarks. Dementia Unplugged: Care Conversations between Lakeysha Lamar, Daylesford Crossing, Resident Assistant,  and Dr. Jeannine Forrest, Advisory Council, Dementia Society of America - she is a leading expert in the field of Dementia care. Recorded March MMXXI. This podcast is supported by DSA sponsor: Passage Bio .

Lessons I'm Learning As Someone Living With Dementia. Dementia Unplugged Care Conversations between Gary Howard, and Dr. Jeannine Forrest, Advisory Council, Dementia Society of America - she is a leading expert in the field of Dementia care. Recorded July MMXXI. This podcast is supported by DSA sponsor: Passage Bio .

Competency, Consent and Involuntary Dementia Admissions. Dementia Unplugged: Care Conversations between Dru Lazarra, LCSW and Dr. Jeannine Forrest, Advisory Council, Dementia Society of America - she is a leading expert in the field of Dementia care. Recorded March MMXXI. This podcast is supported by DSA sponsor: Passage Bio .

Building Dementia Care Tenacity and Resilience. Dementia Unplugged: Care Conversations between Vanessa Wright Adams, and Dr. Jeannine Forrest, Advisory Council, Dementia Society of America - she is a leading expert in the field of Dementia care. Recorded March MMXXI. This podcast is supported by DSA sponsor: Passage Bio .

LGBTQ Considerations in Dementia Care. Dementia Unplugged: Care Conversations between Joe Fisher, CEO Renewal Memory Partners,  and Dr. Jeannine Forrest, Advisory Council, Dementia Society of America - she is a leading expert in the field of Dementia care. Recorded March MMXXI. This podcast is supported by DSA sponsor: Passage Bio .